Wind power stations are operated for conversion of wind energy into other forms of energy, typically electricity. The increasing popularity of wind power stations may be explained by the renewability of wind energy, its wide distribution, and its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are now many thousands of wind power stations operating, as wind power has been one of the fastest growing energy sources over the recent years.
In DE 199 47 915 A1, there is described a cooling system for a wind power station. In particular, there is described a cooling system for a power converter assembly in a wind power station. On the top of the tower of the wind power station, there is provided a machining room having a generator. At the bottom of the tower, there is provided a further room accommodating constructive elements. Further, there are provided means for guidance of cooling medium through the tower from the lower part to the upper part.
In DE 102 33 947 A1, there is described a wind power station having a gondola, which gondola again comprises a generator and a turbine having at least one rotor. The generator is coupled to a primary cooling circuit, and the gondola has means for cooling of the primary cooling circuit.
In DE 100 46 522 C1, there is described a device for detecting the operative temperature of a transformer winding. The sensor is arranged outside the winding and provided within a streaming channel so as to avoid the electric characteristics of the winding through the temperature sensor. A streaming channel is closed for increased accurateness of temperature detection.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,403,072, there is described an electrical induction apparatus. The electrical induction apparatus has a core structure having a vertically positioned winding leg, a plurality of cylindrical windings about the winding leg, spaced from the leg and from one another to provide spaces for a flow of air as a cooling and insulating medium upwardly along the inner and outer surfaces of several windings.
In DE 103 10 036 A1, there is described a method for construction of a wind power station. A power module comprising at least a transformer is provided in the bottom of a tower of the wind power station. Here, the power module is encapsulated in a container. The container has a size such that there remains a space between the side walls of the container and the inner walls of the tower of the wind power station. However, as the container is fully encapsulated, there is no exchange of any air between the inner side of the container and the atmosphere.